Are you solving the same issues in your business again and again? What if the root of your team’s challenges isn’t the people, but the system they’re working in?
If you’re stuck in cycles of recurring problems, disconnected team dynamics, or unclear priorities, it’s likely not a one-off issue.
What seems like a tool problem or a client issue is often just a surface-level symptom.
Ecosystem thinking helps uncover the actual cause and gives you the clarity needed to solve it for good.
With tools like the five whys and the fishbone diagram, leaders can fix the root problems instead of just patching things up.
Ecosystems thinking is also discussed in episode 228 of the Simplify to Scale Show where Jessica Main (CSOO of Lean Out Method and lead mentor in our certification programs) shares how to use ecosystem thinking and gives you a front-row seat to one of our SOL Collective trainings, with a repeatable method you can start using right away.
Tune into Episode 228 of the Simplify to Scale Show or keep reading below.
Business Problems Rarely Happen in Isolation
Ecosystem thinking is the practice of looking at your business as one interconnected system, rather than isolated functions or unrelated problems.
It brings clarity when teams feel disconnected, client delivery is off track, or progress stalls despite continued effort.
This approach is especially valuable for right-hand leaders and consultants who support business growth because it helps them zoom out to see how one challenge often ties into other areas of the business.
Some common signs it’s time to apply ecosystem thinking:
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You’re solving the same issue over and over with no lasting resolution
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There are patterns of delay, miscommunication, or rework
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The team is operating in silos, unclear on who owns what
- It feels like progress is stalling, but you’re not sure why
Start with the Five Whys to Uncover the Real Issue
The Five Whys technique is a simple but powerful tool for getting to the root of a problem.
Start by clearly identifying the challenge, then ask “why” five times to dig deeper.
Each layer removes another assumption or surface explanation.
For example, if you’re constantly late delivering client projects, the team might first blame the client for being slow to respond. However, asking why five times often reveals something deeper:
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Why are we late? Because we didn’t get input from the client in time.
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Why didn’t we get input? Because they didn’t know the due date.
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Why didn’t they know the due date? Because we didn’t explain it clearly.
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Why didn’t we explain it clearly? Because there’s no standard onboarding process.
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Why is there no process? Because it was never documented or delegated.
What started as a client problem is actually a systems gap.
That’s what makes the Five Whys so effective.
It reveals what’s really broken, and once you fix it, the issue doesn’t return.
Map Contributing Factors with a Fishbone Diagram
Once you’ve clarified the core problem, a Fishbone Diagram helps visualize what’s causing it across categories like people, process, tools, and communication.
It’s especially valuable when brainstorming with your team because it uncovers multiple perspectives and shows where issues might be overlapping.
Rather than trying to analyze everything at once, start by having team members write down what they think is contributing to the issue.
Group their ideas by category and discuss where you see the most concentration.
This makes it easier to prioritize which root causes to address first.
You can use this when:
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A problem keeps returning after attempts to fix it
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The business feels stagnant, even if nothing is clearly “wrong”
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You’re preparing for a new phase of growth and want to prevent common issues
Apply Ecosystem Thinking Proactively, Not Just When Problems Surface
Ecosystem thinking is great for fixing what’s broken and is also just as powerful when you want to scale what’s already working.
Use the Five Whys and Fishbone tools to analyze what’s going well and replicate that success across other areas of the business.
Jessica encourages leaders to take a reverse approach by identifying a win and asking why it worked so well.
The insights often reveal repeatable strategies and systems that can be documented and scaled.
This also builds a culture of ownership because when your team feels included in identifying both problems and solutions, they become more invested in what’s next.
This increases team cohesion and strengthens your systems from the inside out.
From Insight to Implementation
Uncovering the root problem is the starting point.
The next step is creating a plan that addresses it without derailing your current operations.
This is where the Lean Strategic Planning System comes in because it helps you integrate problem-solving into your existing quarterly and monthly planning without overloading your team.
Consider the following:
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Is this something that can be fixed immediately or over time?
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Where does it fit into your 90-day plan?
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What’s a realistic way to track progress and measure improvement?
Even a five-minute update during weekly team meetings can keep the focus on progress without making it the centerpiece of every conversation.
Keep the solution visible, measurable, and aligned with your current goals.
What to Do Next
To begin applying ecosystem thinking in your business:
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Choose one recurring issue and apply the Five Whys to find the root cause
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Use a Fishbone Diagram to map contributing factors with your team
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Prioritize which categories are driving the issue
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Integrate the solution into your current strategic plan
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Monitor progress with regular check-ins and adjust as needed
This approach will help you move out of constant problem-solving and into leading a business that runs more smoothly, scales more sustainably, and supports long-term success.
If you’d like to go deeper into these practices and work alongside a community of strategic operators and growth-focused leaders, join us inside the SOL Collective.
In June’s workshop, we’re continuing this conversation by integrating AI into ecosystem thinking to create systems that run with less manual input and more momentum.
Join us here: strategicopsinstitute.com/collective
by Crista Grasso
Crista Grasso is the go-to strategic planning expert for leading global businesses and online entrepreneurs when they want to scale. Known as the "Business Optimizer", Crista has the ability to quickly cut through noise and focus on optimizing the core things that will make the biggest impact to scale a business simply and sustainably. She specializes in helping businesses gain clarity on the most important things that will drive maximum value for their clients and maximum profits for their business. She is the creator of the Lean Out Method, 90 Day Lean Out Planner, and host of the Lean Out Your Business Podcast.
